Prediction for the 28th round of the Ukrainian Championship: Metalist 1925 vs Karpaty. H2H and probable lineups — May 12, 2026
FC Kharkiv
Karpaty
On Tuesday, May 12, as part of the 28th round of the Ukrainian Premier League, Metalist 1925 will square off against Lviv's Karpaty. The match will take place at the Polissya Stadium in Zhytomyr.
Match preview
Under the guidance of Mladen Bartulović, Metalist 1925 has shown impressive consistency this season, especially in home fixtures, where the team ranks third by points won. Bartulović, who took over in the summer of 2025, has instilled disciplined football in the Kharkiv side, with swift transitions from defense to attack. Recently, the team has slowed down a bit (a 0:1 loss to Polissya and 1:1 draws with LNZ and Zorya), but captain Ivan Kaliuzhnyi remains a key figure in midfield, providing balance. Metalist 1925 is traditionally strong in second halves, where their excellent physical conditioning comes to the fore.
Karpaty are enjoying a phenomenal run — Francisco Fernández’s men went unbeaten in eight straight matches before narrowly losing to Kryvbas in the last round. The Lviv club’s biggest recent achievements have been wins over Dynamo Kyiv (1:0) and a derby triumph against Rukh (3:0). Karpaty currently look like one of the most balanced teams in the league: a rock-solid defense led by Jean Pedroso and Babohlo is complemented by a creative midfield featuring Bruninho and Dynamo loanee Valentyn Rubchynskyi. Fernández’s side are very confident on the road, playing on the front foot and making full use of a high pressing game.
Tactically, we can expect a battle for control in midfield. Bartulović will likely try to overload the holding area to neutralize Bruninho, while Karpaty will look to exploit the flanks with their activity out wide.
Metalist 1925 is a tough nut to crack, especially when playing on the counter. However, Karpaty are riding such a wave of emotion and form right now that stopping them will be a serious challenge. If the Lviv side scores first, Kharkiv will have to open up, giving Fernández’s team even more room for counterattacks.
Probable lineups
Metalist 1925: Varakuta — Krupskyi, Saliuk, Pavliuk, Shabanov — Kaliuzhnyi, Churko — Antiukh, Kohut, Rashica — Itodo
Karpaty: Domchak — Sych, Babohlo, Kholod, Liakh — Chachua, Sapuha, Rubchynskyi — Kostenko, Karabin, Alcaina
Match facts and head-to-head
- In their two previous meetings, Metalist 1925 won both: 2:1 and 1:0
- Metalist 1925 are winless in four straight matches: two draws and two defeats
- Karpaty have conceded only one goal in their last eight matches, winning five
Prediction
Given the Lviv club’s rock-solid defense in recent matches and the Kharkiv side’s less-than-impressive attack, I expect a low-scoring affair. My prediction: total under (2.5) at 1.57
